Pinterest is one of the new stars of the social media world.Set up an account at Pinterest.com. You can then start creating boards where you can "pin" photos and videos around a common theme that you find on the Web. This is another way of sharing your story, your lifestyle, and connect to others who love what you love too. I have not started a board yet but Roxana is obsessed and creates some of the most beautiful ones I have seen. Check them out HERE.Here is an article on Copyblogger explaining "56 Ways to Market Your Business on Pinterest."Who is using Pinterest and how is it helping you?
Bee Prosperity for Flowers of Fortune Art Card Set & Game
It's that time of year again when the world of popular art culture collides with the city of San Diego. I have been frequenting this event since 1990. I was part of Allen Spiegel's booth ASFA for many years and then decided to trek out on my own and acquired a booth. Preparing for this event takes weeks sometimes months, and when it is over takes a solid week to recover. It costs money to create product, pay for the booth, hotel, meals, etc. hence the investment can be large. Not much sleep is allowed, everyone is running on reserves of nerve energy as meetings and parties go into the wee hours. Then you get up early to man your booth, sell your wares and conjure up new fans and patrons. The cycle starts up again for four days straight.
Even though Comic Con is a lot of work most exhibitors return year after year, because of the events vitality. Seeing my artist friends come from all over the world to hang out for a week is inspiring. I love the show and tell facet.
Gracing the Dawn for Flowers of Fortune Art Card Set & Game
Setting up a booth is an art unto itself. Read this article on Roxana's Illuminated Perfume Blog about our strategy for this years booth. Every year we strive to make it more interesting than the last. My other goal is to out do what I manifested the year before in art. This time I have created and devised a Limited Edition Art Card Game! Called Flowers of Fortune (website coming soon) there is a scratch off game facet where participants can receive my posters, prints, card sets, and cash. The odds are very good in that there is a prize for every 40 cards. However everyone is winner as fortunes and special quotes are waiting beneath the scratch off designs.
Roxana formulated a beautiful perfume to accompany the Gracing The Dawn card. Come to the booth 5553 and experience this exquisite essence. You will swoon. (Illustrators area) Enter through the double doors of Lobby G, near Starbucks, the booth is on the right front wall. Look for the Shabby Chic booth with the Gracing the Dawn banner.
Don't forget to attend this! I am moderating an Artist As Brand panel discussion Friday 23, 6:00-7:00 RM 8, with Arnie Fenner, Mark Murphy, Ciruelo, Tara McPherson, Donato.
See you all soon!
Art and Empowerment
Greg
Produce Your Own Unique Art Empire!
FIND ART GALLERYAugust 6, 7, 8 Friday-Sunday 10AM- 8PM1640 Superior Ave. Costa Mesa, CA 92627
With Special Guest Lectures by writer and art critic Peter Clothier, licensing expert Maria Brophy, social media master & botanical perfumer Roxana Villa.
Please read the REGISTER page before signing up.
Learn more about Artist As Brand on the ABOUT page.
Scholar and mythologist Joseph Campbell called serendipity “a thousand unseen helping hands.”“..namely, that if you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you... When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”
When the doors of perception open it's fascinating to see what flies in! Roxana Villa my lovely wife started Illuminated Perfume after many years as a professional illustrator and certified aromatherapist. Growing up with asthma and being chemically sensitive inspired her to create botanical perfumes made from pure essential oils. When she was designing the imagery and other symbols that would define her company brand, nature and its pagan spirit resonated deeply within. Hence the key element in the Illuminated Perfume logo became a bee.
The bee has been a powerful symbol throughout history connected to the environment, fertility, prosperity, knowledge, wisdom. The little beings are responsible for the propagation of our food, garden flowers, and fruit trees. In addition Roxana uses beeswax in her solid perfumes. Roxana is an awesome model of Artist As Brand principles and in fact gives a presentation during my workshops where you see her progression from visual artist to aromatic artisan. To see how her company continues to grow is astounding considering she sells a product online that cannot be experienced directly!
At my workshops you actually get to experience many of these magnificent scents. An important facet of marketing is understanding how to make alignments with other like minded individuals and companies. Roxana is a connector and so keeps her eyes on the look out for these alliances.
On one occasion she came across an online story that talked about the Backwards Beekeepers. They are a group of organic beekeepers in Los Angeles who rely on observation and natural practices rather than pesticides and other chemicals to keep their bees thriving. The BB gang saves bees from the exterminator when someone encounters a swarm that lands in their yard or ends up in the walls etc. They come in and swoop up the swarm (for free) and make new beehives or relocate them whilst inspiring others to do the same. It's actually more simple and safe than you think! Roxana went to a meeting and loved the people and their mission.
I was smitten too and soon we were contemplating the concept of having our own hive! Crazy, huh? Well, we would be helping the bees exist, have access to free honey and beeswax for Roxana’s perfumes. Of course I was not planning to run out to get equipment and purchase bees any time soon. I am way too busy for that.
One day I looked outside the studio windows and notice a swarm of bees. It’s amazing to see a swarm up close. Hundreds of bees swirling in space, knocking against the glass. The sun was low so there was a luminescence about them in that golden light. They decided to take up residence in our composter!
The next day we stopped by the Los Angeles Bee Company, picked up the necessary equipment, wooden hives, etc. Then an Irish gentleman named John Lyons (of Backwards Beekeepers) stopped by our house and showed us how to transfer these amazingly gentle bees into a specially designed cardboard box. They will then be transferred to a wooden hive, which I am building now. Roxana got her wish! We are now bee keepers.
Photos by Eve Villa Neuhart
1. bees on compost bin. 2. frames inside cardboard bee box for temporary home. 3. pouring honey on the hive frames. 4. most of bees including the queen were clustered in the compost lid. John tapped them into the hive box. 5. John with fashionable headgear 6. most bees follow the queen into the box, stragglers are helped into the hive's opening with gloved hands and trowel.
When your intentions are clear and strong, and you put that vibration out into the world it will resonate with like minded individuals. This means aligning with people who will support your vision, morally and financially. Start looking and put out the call. Roxana did and received her bees! What do you desire?
Bee Empowered,
Greg